Reverse Jam's NBA Power Rankings: Week 0

REVERSE JAM PRE-SEASON RANKINGS

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Matt: 

Buy Low: Minnesota

With the addition of Kris Dunn to a young and ambitious roster that boasts the last two Rookie of the Years, the Timberwolves are going to take a big leap this season and squeak into the playoffs given the growth of young stars: Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns



Sell High: Knicks

As a fan of the Knicks, it breaks my wishful soul to admit that, no - The Knicks won’t peak at 3rd in the East and obliterate teams.  Throwback Melo and vintage Rose aren’t going to appear and complement Porzingod to terrorize the Eastern conference.  If Rose were to somehow play this season at the level as described on my earlier post, then it would be a different story.  Simply put, Melo is getting old, Porzingis is young, and their most hyped offseason acquisitions are a huge gamble.

Daniel: 

Buy low: Houston Rockets

Under the leadership of Mike “Pringles” D’Antoni, Houston looks poised to make some noise in a tumultuous Western Conference. New additions Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon should fit right in with the head coach’s ideology of offense as the first, second, and third priority. Houston has averaged over 123 points per game in the preseason and looks to be a serious challenger to Golden State as the best offense in the league. In the last two years, Houston has the first and third highest three point shooting seasons by volume. Don’t be surprised if they break their own record by launching well above 30 three pointers a game. 

Of course, the defense will be porous at best. Beverley is not the defender he was just two years ago and Ariza can only tip so many passes.  James Harden and Eric Gordon are a defensive tandem incapable of stopping even an average wing duo. The introduction of Ryan Anderson will only put more pressure on the young shoulders of Clint Capela on the defensive end. HOWEVER, if this team can cobble together a defense that ranks above 22nd or so, the offense should be potent enough to secure a top 4 seed in the West.

Sell High: Milwaukee Bucks  

A star emerges… and a team declines. The loss of Khris Middleton cannot be understated. Last season, the Bucks as a team made 440 three pointers, good for 30th in the league. The Bucks were the worst three point shooting team in a league inevitably swinging towards pace and space. Khris Middleton made 143 threes, nearly a third of the entire roster’s total! Couple that in with the loss of Jerryd Bayless, and just like that the Bucks will have to replace well over half of an already abysmal three point total. The Bucks are so concerned that they traded third string guard Tyler Ennis for forward Michael Beasley and traded Michael Carter-Williams for Tony Snell. Tony Snell! Beasley and Snell are not the answer to any sort of basketball question worth asking. Greg Monroe’s fit in Milwaukee also continues to raise both eyebrows and questions. Simply put, this is a team looking to find an identity beyond “the team with all the oversized players.”

Playing around with Big Ball and Point Giannis is all well and good, but at this point, the Bucks look like a team that would be happy to be in the race for the 8 seed. 

John: 

Buy Low: Charlotte Hornets

As sad as it may be, the Hornets 2016 playoff run was ended by somebody who wasn’t even a part of the organization.  Dwyane Wade was ready to pack his bags and think about free agency… then a voice from the crowd made its way into Wade’s ears, and the garbage that was spoken catalyzed a chemical reaction in his brain that caused his body to think it was 2006, and hell was risen.  He hit two straight 3-pointers -- after making a total of 7 all year -- and brought the Heat back in a pivotal Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round.  The Hornets then keeled over in Game 7, and thus ended their season.  This is the legend of the Purple Shirt Man.

But that season is done, and the Hornets are primed for a top-5 finish in the Eastern Conference. While losing Jeremy Lin and Big Al may take some punch out of the bench unit, I don't think the losses will be game-changers.  Kemba Walker has emerged as not only a force at the point, but a true leader and somebody they can lean on when they really need a bucket.  With MKG back at full health, Batum re-signed, and Zeller poised for a breakout, this team is definitely going places.  The squad possesses all of the necessary components to be efficient in today’s NBA: pacing, spacing, and a strong defensive core.  If everyone stays healthy, expect them to make a stand in a tough Eastern Conference.  Keep an eye on this team as the season goes on.

Sell High: Sacramento Kings

Do you smell a dumpster fire?  Maybe a little harsh, but this team has 99 problems.  Rudy Gay, their second best player, has publicly stated that he doesn’t want to play for the team.  Their starting point guard is suspended for the beginning of the season on domestic abuse charges, and his backup is Ty Lawson. No comment.  Ben McLemore makes a good case for least impactful starter in the league, Rondo is no longer there to force feed them good shots, and their “big” free agent pull was Arron Afflalo.  The show revolves around mercurial big man Boogie Cousins, who is incredibly talented but really needs to mature if he wants to get anything done in the league.  So yes, this team has about as much stability as the San Andreas fault line.  Even though they have one of most -- if not the most -- offensively talented big man in the league, I just can't put them ahead of the promising young teams like the Nuggets and Suns.

Not to mention the defense, which will undoubtedly be a bottom dweller.  Cousins is a heck of a shot blocker, but isn’t really the force that guys like Deandre Jordan or Hassan Whiteside are down there.    There'll be a lot of pressure on him perimeter defense that's looking to be average on the best nights.  Many analysts are betting on Sacramento to gather a bag full of wins based solely on DeMarcus’ talent, but I really can’t see them getting too far past the 25-win threshold this season.